Get a international driver's license before coming to the US???

[Chris M 1]

Hey all. So Tanya and I were talking about things to bring, and she brought up her driver's license. She has a Russian driver's license, but she was asking about getting an international driver's license. She read somewhere that having an international license might make it easier to get a license here in the US. Anyone have any experience with this?

[baron555 934]

Hey all. So Tanya and I were talking about things to bring, and she brought up her driver's license. She has a Russian driver's license, but she was asking about getting an international driver's license. She read somewhere that having an international license might make it easier to get a license here in the US. Anyone have any experience with this?

There is no such thing as an International Driver's Licence. There is an Int'l Driver's Permit, which is just a translation of her Russian License. Alla did do that when she was in Russia, and in Illinois (it's all state-specific) could have used that until her I-94 expired (90 days after POE) but......

I couldn't get any auto insurance for her unless I paid like $400 a month.......so it was useless. We did get her state ID card and then she studied and took the written exam and got her State Driver's Permit (had to drive only with another licensed driver) and then a few months later, took the driver's road test and got her DL.

I'd say it's not worth it unless she has a real need to drive immediately and your state will recognize it.....AND...you can obtain insurance for her. All companies would only insure her once she obtained her DL.

Phil

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Check what the rules are in your particular state. My husband (UK) was able to drive for 6 months without a NH license. NH doesn't do learners permits (odd I know) so he just had to be with me the whole time. NH also doesn't require insurance so that didn't bump up our money much. We would study the manual every night and whenever we went someplace local he drove just so he could get used to driving on the right side of the road. He passed his first time...but still thinks we're all a bunch of crazy "Yanks" over here.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I see your local office is in PA, So I'm guessing you live in PA. In PA, the law is that she can drive here for up to 1 year with her Russian license and an international drivers permit. Of course you have to check with your car insurance and make sure it covers her on your car. My husband used his UK license when he got here to drive my mother's car and my mother's insurance said that he was covered (that was Allstate). But the international drivers permit doesn't make it easier to get a license. I'm not sure if you can get a license here before she gets EAD. I'm pretty sure if you try before AOS/EAD, They'll only give her one valid until the I-94 expires, and also you have to have a SSN before getting a license.

As for the International Drivers Permit, The only purpose for it is to translate her Russian license to English. My husband didn't get the permit as his license was already in English.

[Barbara J 115]

Hey all. So Tanya and I were talking about things to bring, and she brought up her driver's license. She has a Russian driver's license, but she was asking about getting an international driver's license. She read somewhere that having an international license might make it easier to get a license here in the US. Anyone have any experience with this?

No it does not help at all. Yes I have an international permit too and can drive with it for 12 months but it has no bearing on getting a license here in the US. I still can't get my Georgia license because the system wont accept me I am level 3 impending more ID waiting for GC

[ONA 133]

It's just good if she is going to drive right away, and yes - it's a good idea to check the rues in your state. I have a Russian lisence and an international permit, but i was only allowed to drive in MD for 2 months last summer. And in MD the rule is that if out-of-country lisence is 18 months or older, it's possible to get MD lisence after taking driving test, if it's less then 18 months - then you can only get provisional lisence at first.

The rules are different for every state though, so the best thing is checking local DMV website.

[mckay76 11]

In the great state of Massachusetts there is no such thing as international drivers license.

[Chris M 1]

Hey thanks all. I appreciate the input.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yes and no or maybe. Check with your state. MOST states will honor a Russian or international drivers license for a limited period. Vermont was 60 days. alla had one (she must have bribed someone for it) and we used it as her "learners permit". Vermont doe snot require a green card or EAD to get a drivers license so she got her drivers license before her green card, and within the 60 days validity of the international license.

Check your state laws and see if it will be useful for her.

It will likely have NO affect on getting a license here. Alla still had to take the road test.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

Hey all. So Tanya and I were talking about things to bring, and she brought up her driver's license. She has a Russian driver's license, but she was asking about getting an international driver's license. She read somewhere that having an international license might make it easier to get a license here in the US. Anyone have any experience with this?

What is really important to bring for some states is a certification (official) that specifies how many years she has had a license.

My wife did not have such history and now she pays almost three times what I pay in insurance, despite having an older and cheaper car. She'll pay that much, even without accidents or tickets, for a few years. But a friend who brought her license history pays as much as I do, saving her thousands of dollars.

[ONA 133]

What is really important to bring for some states is a certification (official) that specifies how many years she has had a license.

My wife did not have such history and now she pays almost three times what I pay in insurance, despite having an older and cheaper car. She'll pay that much, even without accidents or tickets, for a few years. But a friend who brought her license history pays as much as I do, saving her thousands of dollars.

It's usually written right on the lisence in Russia - not the issue date, but actually the year when a person got their 1st lisence.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Insurance here has a lot to do with age, not just years/experience. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much insurance was for my husband with no history. Once he drove here for 6 months, with a PA license, it dropped $40 a month and after a year of driving it dropped another $20. Here in PA it's a must.

But as for my husband when he first got here, my mother's insurance said they'd cover him without adding him to the policy. They said that if he has the car owners permission then he's covered on her insurance with his UK license. Now, my mother was honest with her insurance and told them everything, and since it'd only be a year, they were very understanding. That was Allstate as I said before. But my Brother-in-law came to visit, he had his UK license and he wanted to drive our car, we had progressive at the time, and they said he could drive/be covered up to 12 times without adding him to the policy. I'm not sure how they'd know he drove more than 12 times, but that was their rule.

[slim 1,530]

Insurance is what gets you. However, if you're married (which you will be) and you're adding a 2nd car onto an existing policy, it really shouldn't go up all that much. Adding my wife and a new car with full-coverage only added about $40/month onto our policy.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Insurance is what gets you. However, if you're married (which you will be) and you're adding a 2nd car onto an existing policy, it really shouldn't go up all that much. Adding my wife and a new car with full-coverage only added about $40/month onto our policy.

I would say that is about right, I think it added about $40 per month, which is to say it "more than doubled" but it was to add another car and another person. They did mention that she was an "inexperienced driver"

At any rate, it is one of the cheaper expense increases you will encounter. Barely worth mentioning.

[Blake and Jeanie 4]

Hey all. So Tanya and I were talking about things to bring, and she brought up her driver's license. She has a Russian driver's license, but she was asking about getting an international driver's license. She read somewhere that having an international license might make it easier to get a license here in the US. Anyone have any experience with this?

I shouldn't make any difference. As long as she has a proof of legal presence in US she's going to take the same 5 min. drive around the block and she's done. The test is a lot easier in US, it'll be a breeze.